USU rodeo club hoping for packed bleachers as the Fall Stampede returns

The Utah State University rodeo club’s Fall Stampede is back after a subdued event last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am just excited to compete with all the schools again,” rodeo team president Alyssa Boyd said of the annual event featuring Rocky Mountain region college teams.

The event will be held at the Cache County Fairgrounds on Friday and Saturday.

Over the past 18 months, many rodeo events have been heavily restricted, and some college teams have not been able to participate. Although Utah State rebounded — the women took second in the Rockies to earn a team spot at the 2021 College National Finals Rodeo and two men also qualified for the national finals as individuals — its members are looking at the Stampede as an opportunity to begin a “normal” full season.

That starts with events like the Stampede, which offer an opportunity to practice under competitive conditions.

“I have a new goat-tying horse this year so I’m pretty excited for the rodeo in Logan to get him and I more aligned,” said team member Macey Fillmore, who was last season’s regional barrel racing champion.

The event is also an opportunity for the team to perform under first-year head coach Colton Bair. The former Intermountain Pro Rodeo Association champion took over following the retirement of Jeffery Hall, who had led the team for the past 25 years.

Bair said he is impressed by his squad’s dedication to getting the local event running at full capacity following pandemic-related shifts.

“The team does everything from A to Z for this rodeo,” Bair said. “They put a lot of work into it and I’m happy to be a part of it this year.”

Boyd, a stand-out breakaway roper, said she’s hoping the team’s work is rewarded with packed bleachers.

“I’m excited to perform in front of my fellow Aggies,” she said.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and children, and a family pass for six immediate members may be purchased for $30.